


Tripping the Light Fantastic

by phoenixofsin, Squikkums



Category: Rick and Morty
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Consentacles, Incest, M/M, NSFW, Pining, Rejection, Sex Pollen, Tentacles, Underage - Freeform, Unrequited, Violence, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-16
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-07 03:44:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5442140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixofsin/pseuds/phoenixofsin, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squikkums/pseuds/Squikkums
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Morty is obsessively in love with Rick, can't stop wanting him, needing him. He's just desperate and pathetic with how much he wants Rick but, knowing love is fleeting, Rick can’t let himself feel the same. A combination of pity and lust eventually pushes Rick’s indulgence but it means so much more to Morty. He knows in his head Rick is just doing it so Morty will stop bugging him, but Morty is so needy, so in love with Rick, he doesn't even care. Boundaries are pushed and lines crossed as they dance around each other, grasping for the kind of affection they crave.<br/>Co-written, unbeta’d, and freeform.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. That Look

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gothboobs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothboobs/gifts).



"That w-was-- that was so cool, Rick." Morty was practically buzzing with excitement as they touched down into the garage after a long day's adventure. He was holding an enormous diamond that they had stolen from what seemed to be some sort of dragon-like alien on a planet that was essentially a middle-earth but with insect people. The images from the day's journey were flying through his mind while he fidgeted in his seat, wrestling to undo his seatbelt with his free hand.

"No, Morty, what's cool is wh-URRH-at I'm going to build with that rock." Rick popped open his door and stepped out into the garage, a smile just starting to play around his lips as he did so. Today had been a lot of fucking fun, and they both were riding high on the adrenaline. The smell of Rick’s own burnt hair and clothes had been overwhelming in the ship, and he took a deep breath of the relatively fresh air in the garage, throwing his head back and letting the smile spread across his face.

"Yeah?" Morty asked incredulously. "Cooler than fighting a dragon, finding a treasure, and getting knighted, huh?"

Hopping out of the ship with a little spring, Morty scampered over to his grandfather to give him the gem. He grinned up at the man's slightly singed face and felt his own still-pounding heart leap at the sight of his smile. He lived for moments that Rick smiled so sincerely. Their fingers brushed in the exchange and with his blood thrumming with excitement in his ears he felt like he was in a honey-sweet haze. Rick held the gem up to the light and twisted it, throwing a spray of rainbows across the garage as it turned. His eyes tracked the colours with avarice before he looked back down at Morty and raised a brow.

"I don't know Morty, do you think stopping or even reversing time is that cool?" Rick's grin turned a little manic. "A-a-and it won't come with all of those.. complications from before. This will only impact a minute at most and only a few feet around us, but it will do it right. No testicle monsters, no cats." Rick shoved the gem back under Morty's nose and leaned in close. "What do you think, M-morty, cooler than getting knighted?"

As Rick leaned in, his tickling and warm breath on Morty's cheek made the boy flush wildly, and he could feel his heartbeat in his throat. He let his hand reach out to touch the sparkling diamond, but there was something less beautiful about it directly compared to the gleam in Rick's eye. The adrenaline in his body made his skin feel like it was coursing with electricity.

"That is c-cool" he said in a cracking whisper as he gently pushed the man’s hand away and leaned in to close the distance between their lips. Rick felt the soft press of Morty's lips on his own a moment before he finally realized what the look in the kid's eyes had been, and he jerked back more because of that look than the almost-kiss.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa.. M-m-morty what the fuck was that?" He stared incredulously down at his grandson, the forgotten diamond slipping from his slack fingers and falling with a thud to the ground, luck the only thing keeping it from being damaged.

"O-Oh! I just, I uhm I just thought maybe it would be fun to end the adventure with a kiss" Heat flooded his face, as he scrambled to backtrack. "Right, I mean, that-that's how it's supposed to go" He said in a naïvely matter-of-fact tone. His lips still burned with the memory of touch-- his mind racing with the desire to return to a moment ago.

Rick eyed Morty speculatively. He caught himself licking his lips and froze, the taste of Morty on his tongue, before speaking quickly to cover the pause.

"Y-you've never- it's never gone like that before." He spoke in a take-no-shit voice. Morty wasn't wiggling out of a real explanation that easily, this was new and _very_ interesting.

 

"I-I don't know, man-- it just-- it felt good, right?" he asked as he stepped towards the man, completely ignoring that the diamond had fallen to the side.

"It barely felt like anything Morty, it was less than a second." Rick lied, pressing his back against the smooth metal and glass of the ship door. It seemed like he could still feel the heat and wetness of the brief kiss burning against his lips.

"We j-just really had a good adventure, like in the movies you know and..." _and my skin feels like it's going to vibrate off my bones if I don't finally do this_ "and I have all this energy still." Rick was pressed between the door of the ship and his shaking grandson.

"This isn't a fucking movie. What exactly are you- " Rick's hand had crept to Morty's hip as he spoke, resting there entirely without conscious thought on Rick's part. "Where did this even come from?" He felt like he should have seen the warning signs of whatever this was, but he felt absolutely blindsided by Morty's advance.

"It didn't come from anywhere I just--" His eyes widened at the brush of Rick's fingertips on his hip, and he turned his pleading look up at him. "Come on, Rick, w-what's even the harm anyways?" _Please, I have been waiting so long to have the courage to do this_ _._ "I won't- tell mom or anything"

"Y-you better fucking not, your mother would.. Jesus, I don't even want to think about it." He realized, too late, the implicit acceptance that came with his words. "Morty, fuck." Memory after memory was racing through Rick's mind. Every little lingering glance, every too-long touch that he would let himself take as long as he didn't think about it. Every shameful thought that he pushed to the back of his mind. But this was Morty, his grandson, and irreplaceable, no matter what some stupid coupon from the council of morons said. He couldn't screw this up. In contrast, the only thing running through Morty's head was the warmth and softness of their bodies after Morty pressed himself against him again, effectively pinning him against the ship. All he could focus on was the charged energy lingering in his fingertips from the rush of taking the biggest chance of all the chances that they took today.

 

Both of Rick’s hands had somehow ended up gripping Morty's hips tight, and he wasn't sure if he was keeping him close or pushing him just out of reach, but Morty's hips were inches from his own and practically the only part of his grandson not plastered against him. He let his head fall back against the curve of the ship and took a deep breath, then pushed Morty further away. He didn't know where he'd gotten the self-control to do it, he wasn't normally one for restraint. "Fuck, wait, hold on. L-look, just- just go jerk it like a normal kid, we can forget this happened, pretend you never threw yourself at your grandpa like a- a fucking cat in heat." He couldn't force his hands to release Morty, but he loosened his grip enough that he was simply resting his palms gently at Morty's sides rather than clinging to him. But with Rick’s loose hold on his hips and his concession in his ears, his deep sigh spoke more to Morty than the insults he always seemed to have for the boy. Morty had to stand on his tiptoes, but leaning into the crook of the man's neck he breathed warm words.

"I will, if you tell me honestly that you don't want me. Riiick, just this once." the begging boy all but purred in his ear.

 _Come on, what's the harm? The kid obviously wanted it, it didn't need to change anything._ Rick wrapped one hand in Morty's windswept curls and pulled his head back, arching his neck and bringing his lips down to rest against the base of his throat.

"M-m-morty, fuck, do you want me to lie to you? With you begging me for it like that?" He let his teeth scrape up along the skin under his lips and then bit down just under Morty's chin. The teenager’s heart felt like it was going to hammer out of his chest as Rick's slender fingers clutched his head back. Reveling in his grandpa's indulgence, the shaking boy let out a sharp breath at the thrilling sensation of teeth against his flesh. His inexperienced arms didn't seem to know where to go, and he let out a whimper of frustration and excitement.

"You'd better keep begging, Morty. Do you want me to stop? I d-don't know if this is such a good idea." His tone was teasing, but Rick honestly thought he should probably back off. This could wreck so much, and for what? Some fumbling, inexperienced grind? He firmly ignored the desperate cataloguing of every whimper, every tiny, needy little writhe against him. "Morty.. talk to me M-morty. Tell me what you want." His lips hadn't left the vulnerable, thin skin of Morty's neck as he spoke, and he sucked lightly where he'd just bitten the boy.

"Oh jeez, please n-no." he stammered out finally, having settled on clinging to the front of Rick's coat. He couldn't believe how easy it was to talk him into this--  Had he known about Morty's long-time infatuation? Had he been pining too?? _Of course he'd known, he knows everything._ "Please, just-- just kiss me, Rick." he begged, trying hard to not choke on his words as they hummed desperately in his throat. Morty's pleading froze Rick in place like ice water down his back, doing quite the opposite of what Morty was panting for. For a second Rick didn't hear the need in his grandson's voice, just Morty saying no, and it was enough to knock him back to his senses. _Fuck, he couldn't do this, he just couldn't. Had he already done too much damage?_ Rick grabbed hold of Morty's arms and forced him away, keeping him at arm’s reach, hands clenched around soft flesh. "No, no we're not doing this." This time it wasn't some halfhearted protest. He abruptly let go of Morty and dodged out from between him and the ship to stand in the middle of the garage.

 

"Wha-wha-- Rick." Morty was dizzy from the brash rebuff and his head reeled. "But- why?" he whined like a child who didn't get it's way, as he spun around to face the man.

 _Because you're not some anonymous fuck I found in a bar. I could ruin you so easily._ "Because I fucking said so, Morty." Rick pushed his fists deep into the pockets of his lab coat and adopted a purposely nonchalant pose as he leaned back against his workbench.

"If this is about- if it's because we're related--" the boy felt frozen to the spot as if waiting for Rick to come back and pretend he hadn't changed his mind. "Because I'm younger?" He was pleading for an explanation and trembling.

"Fuck me M-m-morty, yes, all of the above. Shit, throw a rock and you'll hit dozens of reasons why this is a terrible idea." Rick jerked one hand out of his pocket and pushed it through his hair in agitation. Everything Morty had mentioned was true, of course. But none of that touched on the real reason. _That look_ _._ That look that had been in Morty's eyes before he leaned in to kiss him. Rick had ruined every single person to ever look at him that way. He wouldn't let that happen to Morty.

 

What was once a rush of longing through Morty quickly fell to hopeless disappointment. Every inch between them now seemed like a mile, and he felt foolish standing alone still grasping to a shadow of craving that he swore he saw in Rick. The back of his neck burned with embarrassment and, surprisingly, anger for letting himself believe he had even a fraction of a chance. The energy that pounded through him before was still threatening to bubble up and he was afraid of what he might say-- _Not like I didn't already say too much._

"What so? Suddenly you have all these morals??" He spat. "Selling guns to m-murderers-- stealing, lying, killing! That's all fine" _god, no, shut up--_ "but... b-but this is where you draw your line?" His voice cracked. Rick forced himself to stay leaning against the workbench, but he was tense now, the fist in his pocket clenched around his flask where Morty couldn't see it. It hurt to hear Morty talk about him like that. He knew what he was, but seeing it through Morty's eyes.. he didn't like that person. Didn't like the way Morty saw him. But at least that really, truly killed his desire. He looked back up at Morty and met his eyes, emotionless.

"What line? I'm inconsistent too M-morty, keep that in mind when you're listing my faults." He wanted to stop there but the next words slipped out almost against his will. "..and, lying, stealing, killing, sure.. but don't forget that I'd kill anyone who came after you; I've done it before." Morty flushed, ashamed that he let himself say those things. His eyes stung with the promise of tears and he turned away quickly to run out of the garage and to his room. Rick slumped back and pulled his flask from his pocket, unscrewing the lid with shaking hands and raising it to his lips before Morty had even made it through the door. _Fuck_ _.._ he'd really screwed that up. He closed his eyes and swallowed down everything left in it as he heard the door slam, leaving his head tilted back and his eyes closed after it was empty. "Wubalubadubdub.." He mumbled the words to himself before dropping his head into his hands.

 

Morty couldn't sleep. He tossed in bed, mind replaying the whole day over and over again. It had been such a perfect day until-- _Why did I ruin this? Why do I always ruin everything? Would Rick still even look at me?_ His stomach was queasy and his skin was sweaty and sticky between his sheets, but still he kept going back to the way that Rick had teased him at first-- those fleeting moments of his forceful fingers in his hair, the hunger in Rick's breathy words as he bit and sucked at his throat. He couldn't help but let his fingers trace circles around the small mark that Rick had left. _"Do you want me to lie to you?”_ echoed in Rick's strained voice through his eventual restless dreams, but faded away with the rest of the night's shadows in the morning light. He woke to the sound of his family in the kitchen downstairs and the smell of coffee and eggs, as if nothing was different, but he had never wished so badly for it to be a school day.

 

Rick came to on the floor next to his bed, and for a few blissful seconds he didn't remember or feel anything. Then a roaring hangover overtook him, followed closely by what was practically a full colour HD recollection of Morty's little moment of bravery. He groaned into the shirt he was using as a pillow and pushed himself to his feet. This was going to blow. He changed his shirt and pushed his fingers through his tangled hair, then scrubbed his hands over his face and called himself ready to face the day. Hopefully the little shit wasn't going to be too weird about yesterday, he'd been looking forward to Saturday all week. The chance to have Morty all to himself all day without the endless hassle of dodging Beth and Jerry and dealing with Morty’s I-love-school-more-than-adventures whining was always wonderful. Hopefully he hadn't damaged their relationship badly enough that Morty didn't want to come with him. He trudged out to the dining room and sat in his regular seat, trying not to pay too much attention to Morty's empty seat, and glared Jerry into silence when he opened his mouth, almost certainly to comment on Rick's less-than-stellar appearance. Morty eventually made his entrance in the kitchen, bags under his eyes as if he hadn't really slept.

"There's our sleeping beauty" Jerry tried to joke.

"Mm." he grunted in despondent reply, as he took his seat at the table by Rick. _Ugh, by Rick._

Rick kept his focus on his food as Morty sat, but he nudged a cup of coffee over to him without looking up. _The most half-assed peace offering ever for molesting and then leaving your grandson high and dry._ Rick doubted they made cards for that though, and he was, ostensibly, the adult here. He pulled out his flask and poured a shot into his own coffee before taking a sip of it and sighing appreciatively.

Morty stared at the coffee cup, bleary eyes not quite focusing.

"Thanks" he said eventually.

 

"So kids, any plans this weekend?" His mother tried to make small talk.

Summer answered while texting, "I was thinking about going to the mall to--" her sentence cut off as she looked up over her phone at her brother across the table. "Oh my god, Morty what is on your neck?" she laughed. He defensively reached up to touch the small red mark he had assumed had faded by now. His eyes went wide and he looked desperately at Rick to save him.

 _Don't look straight to me, don't look-- fuck! Idiot._ The kid was absolute trash at lying.

"Y-you don't actually think it's a hickey, do you Summer? Have you met your brother?" Rick scoffed and pulled Morty's head around, tilting his head up and looking dispassionately down at the mark he'd left on his neck. Rick’s words stung, and as those familiar hands guided his face and exposed his neck again, Morty felt a shock of alarm course through him.

"J-just looks like a bite to me." Rick had no idea how he kept a straight face when he let go of Morty's chin and met his eyes after that statement, but he looked away quickly to give Summer a dry look rather than tempt fate any further. When Rick dismissively let go, Morty couldn't help but glare up at the man who couldn't even maintain the look.

"Yeah. Probably some nasty spider o-or something." he added bitterly before taking a drink of coffee. Rick snorted with laughter at Morty's little jab and smiled around the lip of his own mug. _Vicious little bastard._ He finished off the last of his coffee and just took a shot straight from his flask instead.

"M-moURRRrty and I have shit to do today too." Maybe that was a little high-handed; they hadn't even spoken to each other yet, not really. But he wouldn't have hesitated to speak for the kid before now, so he wasn't going to start. Morty’s stomach flipped. _He still wants to do things with me._ His bitterness almost melted into guilt for being so rude, but the dread and excitement of being alone with Rick again overtook it all.

  
Rick was second guessing himself, and he hated it. _Just act normal._ He wiped his lips neatly with his napkin and smiled over at his daughter. "Another delicious breakfast sweetie, you're a treasure." He rested a hand on Beth's shoulder as he stood and then gave it a squeeze and started off towards the garage, speaking to Morty over his shoulder. "Come find me when you're done Morty."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 sneak peek:  
> "Thanks M-morty, you know what a- a shy person I am. Now let’s go jerk off a flower."  
> "D-do what?!" The ship swerved slightly.


	2. Planting the Seeds

Rick had opened the garage door to the driveway as soon as he'd gone in, telling himself it wasn't so that he wouldn't feel so alone with Morty when he got there. He sat at his table and absentmindedly spun the enormous diamond around and around in his hands as he-- _ugh, pathetic_... as he just sat there and waited for Morty. As long as he didn't act any differently nothing needed to change. He and Morty could keep on exploring the multiverse and going on adventures. Rick was interrupted from his thoughts as, outside the garage door, he watched first Beth, then Summer and then even Jerry leave the house.

For Morty, it was the longest and most painfully pleasant breakfast of his life. Once the table was cleared off, mom and sister off to the mall, and Jerry out for an interview he realized he had no one else to distract him from finally facing Rick again. He stood in the kitchen, facing the door to the garage with his hand hesitantly reaching toward the knob. He put serious thought into going back up to his room to just play videogames, or masturbate, or-- _fuck I would even do my homework right now._ His hand fell back to his side. He struggled with the idea that Rick didn't actually want his help with anything-- that he was just saving face in front of his family...

Rick waited what felt like ages for Morty to come out before deciding that the little coward was going to leave him hanging. _Not without having to tell me to my face he isn't._ Rick jumped to his feet and stormed up to the door, swinging it wide and almost bumping straight into Morty, who had just resolved to go back up to his room and hide for the rest of the day when the next thing he knew he was almost face-first into the man's chest. He nearly fell onto his ass but caught himself, stepping back.

"Rick, oh jeez man." He sputtered out. Rick noticed that it looked like Morty had just been standing there before he'd pulled open the door. Why hadn't the kid come to see him like he'd asked?

"Hi Morty, g-going somewhere?" His voice was accusing, and he sneered down at him and crossed his arms, stepping closer again to crowd into Morty's personal space.

"N-no-- I mean yeah. I was just, I was just going to go watch some TV or something." He scrambled to answer. Rick stood tall and intimidating over him, and he held his breath as he turned away from the man-- as he scrambled for distance.

"We had plans, Morty! W-wh-what the fuck are you doing?" He took one jerky step towards Morty before pulling back and forcing his slightly raised hand back down to his side. If Morty wanted to stay away from him.. maybe he should let him. Rick closed his eyes and turned his head away, taking a deep breath and letting it hiss out slow. _Fuck, everything was fucked. He'd hoped.. but maybe not._ Once the boy reached the safety of the distance to other doorway Morty turned back to talk.

"Oh-oh I just figured..." He wasn't sure what he figured. His head was clouded with dangerous thoughts as his fingers subconsciously trailed on his neck.

"Oh right, okay Morty, what did you just figure?" Rick's tone was dripping with condescension. He diverted his energy into pulling out his flask and taking a long swig from it. But his eyes stayed locked on Morty's fingers as they brushed along the skin of his neck. He hated that he still felt like he could taste Morty's skin over the burn of the alcohol. But Morty was half relieved that Rick had actually been expecting him, though the tone that he was taking still made his stomach fall.

"Look I j-just figured you didn't want to talk to me after that breakfast trainwreck." Morty spat the words out, jerking his hand back down after realizing what he was doing. Rick's eyes snapped back up to Morty's face.

"I already knew you were a crap liar Morty, I'm used to that, and I wouldn't call it a trainwreck. At worst your s-sister thinks you're getting some from one of your little dweeb classmates." Rick sighed and scrubbed his fingers through his hair. "But whatever, go do what you want. I'll go myself." He wasn't going to beg or something, if Morty wasn't ready to be around him again well, he didn't deserve anything less. Rick pursed his lips unhappily and turned away to go back into the garage.

"Wait!" Morty’s voice broke. He surprised himself; his exclamation didn't feel like it was his own and his mouth was dry. Rick froze and stayed facing away for a few seconds to hide the relief and happiness he wasn't able to keep out of his expression. Then spun back around and bounced on his toes a little before walking over to Morty, who was looking flustered and a little surprised with himself. He latched a hand around Morty's arm and pulled him towards the garage, talking fast. Something akin to relief flooded through Morty as the familiar grasping hand clutched his arm and guided him roughly.

"Good call Morty, I've been planning this for days, you wouldn't want to miss this Morty. You'll be a big help with my work today."

"Yeah?" He breathed out.

 _Well, not really. You needed to actually have a plan for any of that to be true._ Rick scrambled to think of something they could do, running through ongoing projects in his head rapidly, finally settling on the fluid his new diamond would need to be suspended in in order to be useful at all. "Of course Morty. I'll need you to fly the ship while I collect what I need, the ground is incredibly corrosive to carbon based life on Zaruvia." Rick released Morty and rummaged around his shelves, pulling out a pair of long plastic gloves and a bottle of lube and tucking them away in his lab coat before spinning back and grinning manically at his grandson.

The words that Rick was saying all made sense individually, but together Morty had no idea. "What-- how? Won't you need like a ..suit or something?" He asked, aware of how stupid he sounded, but glad that he at least no longer felt quite as pathetic.

"Nah, I'll just kneel on the hood of the ship, I don't want to land at all. It'll wreak havoc on the tires. Anyway, we need to be ready to leave at a moment's notice, we're not exactly supposed to be there." Rick paused for a moment despite his words though, then rummaged around again and pulled out a pair of black shiny overalls, matching boots and a coil of rope. "But if you're going to fuss.. I'll take some precautions."

"What d-do you mean we're not exactly supposed to be there, Rick?" Morty almost chided, but he climbed into the driver’s side of the ship, ready to go nonetheless. Rick bundled his supplies into the ship and climbed into the passenger seat, turning a shit-eating grin on Morty.

"Come on M-morty, what do you think I mean?" Morty buckled in and adjusted the seat.

"Oh jeez." He sighed, quietly glad that things were starting to feel a little more normal between them.

Rick kicked his feet up on the dash and took a pull from his flask. This was a good plan. Morty was bitching already, just like usual. He pulled out a business card with 'Trans Federal Plantetorium Preserve' in leafy letters across the top, and coordinates and contact information below.

"Take us here Morty." He passed the card over with a flourish. Pulling out of the garage and then into the sky, Morty placed the card into the ship's navigation system. He was beginning to feel more comfortable until he glanced at Rick with his slender legs stretched out so casually next to him. His starry eyes snapped back ahead of him, realizing he was staring, and his palms felt sweaty on the steering wheel. Rick reached under his seat and pulled a lever, knocking the seat into a recline so he could lay back and rest his head on his folded arms.

"You should drive more often, this is f-fUHHucking great." He watched Morty without turning his head, taking in his tense posture and hands tight on the wheel. Morty could feel Rick's eyes on him and heat on the back of his neck. _God, what is he looking at._ He self-consciously reached forward and turned on some music, looking to fill the awkward silence that he had created by not answering Rick. Rick let his gaze drift lazily up Morty's arms, down his stiff, tense chest and back up to his uncomfortable expression. He hummed along to the song pervading the ship as he did, singing under his breath softly as he enjoyed the blush spreading up Morty's neck. "You're a good driver Morty, relax."

The praise fell over him like warm honey-- sweet and golden and uncomfortably sticky like the sweat that was building on his palms. He squirmed in his seat and mumbled a thanks, eager to just get there already so he could stop imagining Rick's lips-- the same lips he had tasted just yesterday, singing along to _Stranglehold_. He huffed. Rick rolled his eyes at Morty's obvious nerves and then closed them. The kid needed to calm down, maybe if Rick stopped eyeing him like a piece of meat he could.

"Wake me when we get there, but stop about five minutes out. We'll be on the clock as soon as we enter federation space." Rick let himself relax, the music blending with the hum of the engine he'd built himself and the nervous shuffling of his grandson in the driver's seat. It was easy to let that blend of sound lull him to sleep.

Morty was glad for autopilot as he looked over the sleeping man, taking in every rise and fall of his chest-- every gentle detail. When he slept it seemed like whatever sarcastic and nonchalant facade Rick built around himself just crumbled away. His heart swelled with relief to be back by his side and-- _God, I’m watching him sleep now?_ Rick’s voice in his head was quick to call him ‘a little creep’ and it was probably right. He shook the achingly needy thoughts from his head.

Soon enough the ETA ticked to five minutes, and Morty pulled the ship to a halt, jostling the sleeping Rick.

"Okay, Rick, here we are." He said, avoiding looking at his grandfather who he had been watching nap so restfully only a few moments ago. Rick blinked his eyes open contentedly. This was a much better way to wake up than this morning had been. He yawned and stretched hugely before settling back with a sigh.

"You're definitely flying more often." Rick spoke absentmindedly as he emptied his pockets of everything he'd need and put it on the dashboard. He continued as he pulled off his shoes, lab coat and pants and then started to wiggle into the overalls, squirming around in the confines of seat the whole time. "Y-you'll be flying the ship down to the surface and finding what looks like a giant, fleshy, purple lily. They grow in wide open swamplands and secrete a chemical compound that causes hypersensitivity for up to 48 hours when it comes in contact with human skin, hence the gloves.” Rick waved one hand towards the gloves on the dash, then went back to changing. “I'll climb on the hood of the ship a-and collect the fluid we need while you hold us steady. After that we just get away clean and maybe stop for ice cream. Easy."

Glancing at Rick while he was pulling his pants off in the seat beside him, Morty paled. His head snapped to the other side as he became suddenly very interested in something on the ship’s door instead.

"Easy." Morty's voice broke. Rick watched Morty stare fixedly at the door with a little smirk.

"Were you even listening to me y-you little pervert?" He hooked the straps of the overalls and pulled on the boots next.  Morty’s ears burned but his sweaty palms already felt like ice.

"Yes I was listening, jeez. I-I'm just trying to give you some privacy, damn son." He snapped, now fiddling with the upholstery of the side of his seat. Rick laughed at Morty's answer and clicked the carabiner attached to the length of rope onto a metal ring on the back of the overalls, hooking the other end into an O-ring drilled into the frame of the ship near the passenger door. He tucked the rest of his supplies into the overalls and sat back in his seat, giving Morty a lazy grin as the ship started flying closer to the planet.

"Thanks M-morty, you know what a- a shy person I am. Now let’s go jerk off a flower."

"D-do what?!" The ship swerved slightly. Rick steadied himself and looked over at Morty questioningly.

"Y-you okay with this Morty? You'll have to hold the ship steady when I'm on the front of it. A-a-a-and how else am I going to get the plant secretions? Ask nicely?"

"Yeah, yeah, I think I know how to fly the ship, Rick." Morty shot back, pulling past the planet's atmosphere. "I just-- it's not something y-you hear every day." He mumbled.

“Because it's very illegal Morty. And it isn't something you see every day either, just don't freak when I'm out there." Rick was craning his neck around looking for a likely spot to find the plants. He finally spotted the beginnings of a swamp and pointed it out to Morty. Determined to prove to Rick that he was right to bring him-- right to not give up on him, Morty expertly piloted the ship lower to the ground over the swamp. Strange alien vegetation surrounded them and sped by as they looked for...

"What exactly are we looking for here again, Rick?" Rick pointed out a small, purple plant with petals like a lily.

"L-like that, but about ten times as big and with yellow spots. We need a full grown one, that's just a juvenile. A-a-and keep away from those red spiky looking flowers." He smiled to himself at Morty's look of concentration. He loved the way Morty's mouth twisted and his eyes narrowed when he was trying to prove Rick wrong. Pulling to a well-timed stop, they hovered directly in front of a huge flower that was blooming up from a tangle of vines on the edge of the swampy water below. Its vibrant purple petals were scattered with mustard yellow specks and a long magenta carpel jutted like a phallus from the center surrounded by smaller curling stamen. Morty wore a very proud and smug look as he turned to his grandfather as if to say _yup, I found it_.

Rick snorted and rolled his eyes at Morty when he looked over at him for approval, but he was smiling too. He rummaged around until he found a long plastic bag in the glove compartment and then snapped the plastic gloves into place before rolling down the passenger side window and climbing nimbly onto the hood of the ship, keeping one foot hooked over the window's edge. Rick turned to the side a little to give Morty a smirk and a thumbs up before he put the plastic bag between his teeth and pulled out the lube from his overalls, slathering it all over the gloves. Then he reached forward carefully and brushed his fingers against the stamen of the plant, waiting until they uncurled and wrapped around his hands and forearms before inching closer. Holding the ship steady, Morty watched as his grandfather nimbly made his way to the monster bloom and slicked up the gloves with the lube. He let his mind wander on the subject of Rick with lube and he felt flustered heat rising from the back of his neck. He craned to watch what was supposed to happen next.

Rick had had sex with a lot of different beings with very strange anatomy. He'd never done it while his grandson was watching before.. but jerking off a flower couldn't really be that bad. _It's not like there was going to be any penetration, it was more suggestive than anything._ This was Rick's thought process as he caressed his hands up and down the stamen of the flower, gently at first until they nudged in closer and more of them wrapped around his arms and waist, then with slowly increasing force. He stayed well away from the swaying carpel for now; these plants were known to be notoriously finicky, and he didn't want to piss it off.

A shiver swept down from Morty's stomach to the insides of his thighs as more of the plant’s tentacle-like appendages curled around Rick's body, a heavenly floral aroma flooding his senses. He tried looking away-- at his sweaty hands on the wheel, at the churning alien sky through the top of the dome, down at his lap where a straining erection grew. _"Dammit."_ He swore under his breath, shifting as he glanced back up to Rick, who expertly stroked the quivering stamen. Rick pulled one hand free to dig in his pocket for the lube, squirting more on his hands as the impatient stamen twisted their way inside the top his overalls and nudged into his pockets blindly. One particularly aggressive tendril bumped insistently at his lips, still clenched around the plastic bag. He quickly pulled the bag away before it got pushed into his mouth and tucked it up the arm of his other glove, feeling a stamen follow it up there momentarily before pulling back to wrap around his arm, bunching up the fabric of his sweater and dragging the sleeve up. A couple of tendrils burrowed curiously under his sleeve and coiled around his bare forearm before inching their way higher. Rick watched in fascination as the weave of his sweater pulled taught and then ripped open under the pressure. This seemed just as fascinating to the stamen; they coiled around the ragged edges of cloth and tore his sleeve open from wrist to shoulder in a disconcertingly delicious show of strength. Rick shuddered and threw his head back for a moment before his eyes were dragged hypnotically back to the undulating coils pushing the tattered remnants of his sweater out around his chest and stomach. Rick jerked with a moan as his sweater tore away completely; the sharp pressure of his collar around his neck choking him momentarily before it also gave under the inexorable pull, driving his breath out in a gasp. Every inch of exposed skin was being explored now, the remaining intact sleeve of the sweater pulled roughly away in the process, and Rick grimaced as he spared a thought for the chemical that he knew was, even now, soaking into his skin and pushing his nerve endings into overdrive. Shit, he’d hoped to avoid too much skin contact, looked like that part of the plan was well and truly fucked. He'd lost the lube somewhere in the mass of eager tendrils, but they were reeling him in towards the carpel now, so that was alright. In fact, it was very good, because the stamen pushing its way into his mouth had no understanding of breathing, and Rick was only doing it sporadically now, as penetration of a sort apparently _did_ become a thing. Oh well, he hadn't intended for that to happen, and it was the thought that counted, right?

Morty was only slightly alarmed when the plant began to man-handle Rick, but the cool way that Rick stayed collected despite clearly being overpowered only seemed to arouse something deep in the boy. He was lost in the way the pushy fingers curled and tore their way out of the crevices of his clothing, the lewdness of it filling his wet mouth, and the enthralling pulsing movement of it all together. Most importantly, it was the ease with which his grandfather handled himself... Morty was drowning in sweat, clinging to the steering wheel like a life raft. At this point he found himself unabashedly devouring the details with his hungry eyes.

Rick felt a momentary thrill of fear as he was pulled far enough away from the ship to first lose his foothold on the window and then all contact with the ship itself, suspended entirely by the flower's stamen. But he felt a little jerk on his overalls as a tendril behind him explored the loosely trailing rope, and relaxed further into the plant's hold as it brought him right up close to the violently magenta carpel rising out of the spread petals. He didn't so much reach out to it as have his hands dragged into contact with it, but when he started to smooth his hands carefully up the carpel, as thick around as his leg and quivering slightly, the stamen pulled back, giving him space to manoeuvre. He could feel the stamen start to rub sensually against his throat and down his back and chest under the overalls, but he stayed focused, leaning around the tendril still curling against his tongue to see as he pulled the bag from his glove and slipped it gently over the top of the carpel with one hand while the other continued rubbing up and down the shaft of it.

The boy watched, entranced as the twisting tendrils explored and gripped at Rick's lanky form. _God, he looks so calm... has he done this before?_ Morty flushed deeply at the thought, his mind racing with dangerous assumptions. _I should maybe not be watching this._ His breath caught in his throat as he studied Rick's nimble fingers stroking fervently along the incredible length in front of him, and he forced his eyes back down onto his lap and his shameful erection pushing against his jeans. He groaned quietly with frustration.

Rick could feel the carpel pulsing steadily under his hands now, close and quivering with it. The stamen were getting rough, curled around his thighs and shoulders, pushing and thrusting into his dripping mouth, and rubbing against his straining erection from inside his overalls. He'd been turned on even before the plant had settled on this method of reciprocation, but the contact came when he no longer needed to concentrate on his careful seduction, and it pushed him abruptly to the edge. He writhed helplessly, pulling against the stamen just to feel them tighten around him, and gasped sharply as one tendril slipped up from his shoulder to circle around his neck, arching him back forcefully. His eyes caught on Morty; the kid was red faced and staring down at his lap, but as Rick watched, Morty's eyes flickered up and locked with his own. The zing of heat at the look in his grandson's eyes, tempered by the guilt and, shockingly, embarrassment churning in his gut at knowing Morty had almost certainly been watching him be manhandled this entire time drove Rick right to the brink of orgasm. Morty's stomach dropped. For an agonizing moment they held eye contact-- his eyes wide and stunned, Rick's wild and stained with tears that inadvertently welled from the vulgar forcefulness pressing into his throat. Morty watched with a sick fascination and creeping jealous nausea as the man shuddered with the first wave of satisfaction in front of him.

 _Oh fuck._ Rick’s eyes clenched shut as a wave of heat rushed through him; his back arched, body barely held in place by the twisting stamen. The carpel, arching with him and snugged right up against his body writhed too, and he bucked and thrust against it with abandon. _Morty is watching you right now, he can see how wanton you look, how much you’re loving this._ Rick frantically tried to justify the thought, blaming the chemicals on his skin, the hazy, too-sweet aroma in the air, but there was no denying how hot it made him. He moaned sloppily around the stamen in his mouth as his body jolted and he felt himself start to come. The stamen that was wrapped around his dick writhed tighter and twisted through the mess coating his belly and the inside of the overalls, milking him for more relentlessly, not slowing down.

 _Okay, I_ _ **definitely**_ _should not be watching this._ That honey-sweet aroma abruptly turned sickly and sour in Morty's mouth and nose as the unrelenting flower pushed and lashed around Rick, who seemed possessed in forced rapture. Morty struggled for breath and tried to swallow back a lump in his throat.

The painful oversensitivity was just this side of too much, and Rick screamed his way through another orgasm just as the stamen in his mouth pulled out and tensed against his cheek. All the stamen had frozen around Rick now, like solid steel keeping him in place, and he felt the carpel twitch spasmodically against him. Rick pried his eyelids open and watched through half-lidded eyes as a deep violet blush rippled through the carpel and a thick, brilliantly clear gold nectar spurted out of the tip of it, filling the bag. Rick's hands shook as he eased the bag off the carpel, tying it off and holding it clenched in his hand. Then he went boneless and limp in the plant's hold, panting and exhausted.

When the flower finally yielded, spilling it's treasure and once again becoming inanimate Morty finally escaped the desperate transfixion and looked up through the dome. There were ships approaching from a distance overhead. _Oh man, oh jeez._

He cried out, "R-Rick! We've got company!"

  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 sneak peek:  
> "I've got this Morty, g-g-give me the wheel." He was squished up awkwardly in Morty's space, arms knocking against the boy's with little jolts, the sensation huge in his mind, threatening to drive his thoughts off of where they needed to be if he wanted to keep them alive.


	3. Jeez, oversensitive much?

Rick groaned miserably as he heard Morty's cry and looked up to see the ships too.

"Go Morty! Go! They can't catch us here!" He forced his heavy limbs into motion, untangling himself from the relaxed and pliant stamen. He shoved the bag of nectar deep into a pocket of the overalls and then wrapped one foot and one arm tightly in the rope securing him to the ship. _Dammit, Morty was going to use this stupidly useful rope to push precautions on him for weeks._ "Now, Morty!"

The ships were coming in fast as Morty frantically pulled away, Rick dangling below. He glanced back at the ships, recognizing the Federation police insignia as one that Rick seemed particularly wary of before. Morty groaned as dread washed over him. Energized yet shaken by the sudden burst of fear Morty swerved sloppily above the boggy surface, swinging Rick dangerously close to a patch of ragged red flowers that gathered in parasitic clumps around the jutting swamp vegetation.

"Fuck! I said stay _away_ from the red ones M-morty! Away!" The flowers hissed and smoked threateningly, far too close to Rick for his comfort. He scrambled foot by foot up the rope, trying to ignore the tingling heat flooding every inch of his body the stamen had touched. He didn't have time to deal with that now, no matter how distracting it was.

_Shit, the red ones._

"Stop right there. This is private Federation property." A projected demand echoed from their pursuers. Morty felt his heart beating in his throat as he quickly scanned the landscape that rushed by-- an idea half-forming in his racing mind. As they began nearing a particularly tall tangle of crimson flora he initiated a sudden dip towards it, the ship behind them following suit. In a horrifying game of chicken, Morty got as close as he dared to before he jerked the ship straight up. The ship closest to him stopped in time to miss crashing into the hissing flowers, but fortunately the one behind it did not and barreled headlong into the first ship, pushing both into the hastily thought out trap. The flowers burst in heat and light, incinerating both ships with ease and blasting a wave of sound and fire out behind them. Morty yelped with excitement and relief, and glanced down out the window at the man on the trailing rope to check the look on his face.

Rick had felt the blast of heat and pressure behind him as the fed ships were demolished. His eyes went wide and startled, and he had a manic grin on his face as he finally pulled himself close enough to the ship to grab on and yank himself onto the edge. He let out a whoop of excitement, looking down at the carnage below them for a second before clambering through the window and collapsing into the passenger seat.

"That was sick, dawg! I told you you were a good flier!" Rick went to clap Morty on the shoulder before pausing and looking at his tacky, sloppy, gloved hands. He peeled the gloves off one by one and then closed his window just as the atmosphere started to thin.

"H-holy shit, Rick!" Morty gasped, looking straight ahead into the black space rapidly enveloping them. Everything had happened so fast that it was all still processing in his mind (and his pants.) The teen shifted uncomfortably, hoping to god that Rick was too distracted in the moment to notice his lingering affliction. "H-h-holy shit" he repeated, finally looking at his grinning grandfather.

"Holy shit is right Morty, fuck!" Rick panted, draped across the passenger seat all loose-limbed and easy, with an almost feverish blush across his pale cheeks. He rolled his head along the headrest, turning his grin on Morty, eyes half-lidded. "Morty, you fucked those feds up man! Now book it before more show up." But almost before the words had left Rick's mouth the two heard the whine of sirens.

"Oh man-- You don't think they're _dead_ d-d-d-o you, Rick?" Morty choked as he floored it, knuckles white from gripping the wheel.

 _Oh Morty.._ Rick knew they were almost certainly dead, and he figured, deep down, Morty knew that too. But he remembered when he'd used to lie to himself about the lives he'd taken. "Morty, I saw what you saw, how should I know? But I've survived bigger explosions Morty, maybe." Rick hesitated over his next words, but the kid was looking so pathetically guilty right now, he needed something else to think about. "A-a-and you and your stupid safety precautions saved my life Morty. D-don't let it go to your head though." He unhooked the rope from his overalls and dangled it back and forth in Morty's peripheral vision, before dropping it suddenly and yanking the steering wheel to the side to avoid a blast of shots from one of the incoming patrol ships.

Morty yelped as they narrowly avoided the blast. He looked desperately at his grandfather for instruction, unsure if he could handle the responsibility on top of the guilt that still pressed into his thoughts that all seemed to rush past at the same speed they were traveling. _Had I really saved his life somehow?_ He didn't have the capacity to question anything anymore with the ships gaining on them, and the fear, shame, and pride bubbling up into stinging tears that blurred his vision.

Rick got a better grip on the wheel, craning his neck around for a quick look to see where the Fed ships were before spinning the ship into a tight, controlled roll to avoid a flurry of shots. He dropped back down into the planet's atmosphere and the dubious cover of the clouds.

"I've got this Morty, g-g-give me the wheel." He was squished up awkwardly in Morty's space, arms knocking against the boy's with little jolts, the sensation huge in his mind, threatening to drive his thoughts off of where they needed to be if he wanted to keep them alive.

"Okay, yeah" the boy conceded as he reached to unbuckle the seatbelt, pushing against Rick's sensitive skin as he moved. He didn't notice the way Rick was shuddering against him until he went to climb under his arms into the passenger seat. Morty's heart was beating fast with fear, but he could feel Rick's absolutely pounding over him as he scrambled past... Was he hurt or something?

Rick, on the other hand, was shuddering at even the most casual brush against his skin. He felt like he couldn't get enough air, and his whole focus was zeroed in on Morty. _Fuck, he hadn't thought the chemical would be this potent._ Rick swallowed convulsively over and over, frozen and tense as Morty squirmed under his arms and across his lap. He was so distracted that he barely noticed the stray shot with enough time to swerve out of the way, and paid for it dearly.

"Rick--" Morty was cut off by the ship pulling violently to the left, barely avoiding the blast that was blindly shot through clouds but pushing Morty face-first into Rick's lap. Rick let out a strangled, needy whine as Morty's face was mashed up against the part of his anatomy that had been lavished with the most attention and, consequently, was incredibly sensitive. He jerked the wheel to the side again, sending Morty careening into the passenger door and knocking them out of the cloud cover.

"Morty y-y-you.. fuck.. you're gonna get us killed.. what did I t-t-tell you about skin contact with tha-- haa that plant Morty?" Rick corralled his tattered self-control and dove for the federation communications outpost he'd been looking for, firing on it and watching with satisfaction as the huge satellite dishes surrounding the squat building collapsed into fiery heaps of rubble. He spun the ship into a tight turn and angled them back up into the clouds, hearing the whine of near misses all around them as the fed ships closed in.

"You know, Rick, y-y-you didn't really give me much of a heads up about that plant-- I wasn't exactly prepped for that whole... experience." Morty whined, buckling into the passenger seat and bracing himself against the sharp turns and bumpy maneuvering. _What_ **_did_ ** _he tell me about skin contact?_ His thoughts were a jumbled mess between recent memories of rich nectar spilling pressed between his grandfather's thighs and their _current_ pressing matter. "Now, might not be the best time t-to give me a pop quiz, _Rick_." He evaded the question.

"What do you want from me Morty? I've only heard stories, and they were either _highly_ edited or I just got lucky and y-you picked the horniest fucking plant in this god-forsaken preserve."

Morty always assumed he just knew everything, that he wasn't tossing together half formed, terrible plans and hoping he was quick and smart enough to land on his feet again. It was flattering, sure, but irritating as hell sometimes too. _And speaking of half-assed plans..._ Rick broke out of the planet's atmosphere suddenly and slammed his hand onto a button on the dash, feeling himself get pushed back, hard, into his seat as they blasted forward with a burst of unsustainable speed, losing their pursuers almost instantly. He writhed against the pressure of the leather on his back and moaned involuntarily. _Fuck, was that ever distracting._

Turning bright red, the boy had opened his mouth to protest but his grandfather cut him off after jamming the controls for hyperspeed and knocking the wind from his lungs. He could feel the skin of his face being pulled back in the jump, and he wasn't sure if his heart was beating so uncontrollably because of the shock of motion or the lewd noises that Rick was letting slip out before he spoke again.

"Without that communications outpost they won't be able to track us. My cloaking technology is more advanced than their shipboard sensors as long as we don't use the main engines. It'll be slow, but we can just sneak away; the odds of them missing us in all this empty space are inestimable." Rick babbled as he flew, trying to distract himself from the overwhelming flood of sensation. He cranked the ship to a sudden, jarring halt and shut down everything but the most essential systems, then spun the ship away from their previous trajectory using the piddly little impulse engines and set them puttering along into empty space. Finally, he pried his fingers off the wheel and whimpered pathetically, arching away from the seat in an attempt to limit his contact with.. well.. everything.

 

Suddenly silence. Silence and stillness. Morty turned to finally speak his mind but was caught off guard by the weird way that Rick was twisted in his seat. _"hypersensitivity" was what Rick had said, wasn't it? What the hell does that mean?_

"Wh-wha-what the actual fuck, Rick?"

Rick twisted his head on the seatback to look over at Morty with glazed eyes.

"F-f-fuck what?" Shit, was that his voice? He sounded strung out, his voice thready and high. And was that him panting? It had to be; every breath was sending little jolts of pleasure through Rick's body as his chest rose and fell. Beside him, Morty felt a rising anger bubbling in his tightening chest.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Morty hissed at the man. He pressed his eyes shut, trying to squeeze the vision of Rick's vulnerability out of his mind. "A-are-- did you-- what am I supposed to think a-a-after all of that!" he rubbed his eyes with the knuckles of his balled up hand. He was thoroughly exasperated by his grandfather, and the adrenaline, hormones, and built-up shame of it all had him trembling in his seat.

Rick flinched at Morty's words and then flinched again away from his seat. The kid was right; this had gotten way out of hand. All Rick had wanted was to get back to how things were before he'd gone and screwed it all up between them. This was not the kind of shit they needed right now. Fuck, he was such a fuck up.

"Y-yeah, it must have been hard for you to sit around a-and do nothing, Morty ." Rick sneered and snapped back rudely, and then instantly regretted it. That wasn't true, Morty had saved his life just seconds ago. And Rick was just bursting with pride at how well Morty had flown.

" _Nothing_?" Morty's eyes flew open. "Are you-- are you kidding me, you sick crotchety old fuck?" He was holding his fists so tight that they had begun trembling with anger in his lap. "I think I killed those people, Rick!" His voice cracked in his throat. Rick looked away.

"I d-didn't mean that, I'm not.." Rick was panting so fast he was almost hyperventilating; it was hard to get the words out. "..n-n-nn-not at m-m-my best right now." It was hard to think beyond how good everything felt. He could barely focus, and he had to, he couldn't stop yet. "Y-you were amazing." That didn't seem right, that wasn't what he should have said. That wasn't the correct response when someone thought they'd killed someone else, but Rick couldn't think beyond the rush of pride that had bubbled up when Morty flew them out of there. For a moment Morty saw red, and before he knew what he had done he was over Rick and withdrawing his stinging fist from the side of the man's face.

Rick gasped and writhed as he was struck, his cheek pushed against the seat from where his head had snapped to the side. Morty held his position over Rick with his knees on the center console and his balled knuckles pink in front of him. For a moment it felt good to be taking control from Rick but just as quickly as the feeling came it was replaced with stinging guilt. Rick kept his watering eyes off of Morty, trying not to think about how the anger behind the hit had fueled the unshed tears more than the sudden pain. He stayed quiet and forced himself back into stillness to make up for his unrestrained reaction to the forceful, pushy attack.

"Morty.." Rick breathed the name, but bit back the rest of his words. He needed to think, to do this right, and it was hard to gather his thoughts with Morty overtop of him like this.

Seeing the beads of tears in his eyes, Morty’s fists and head fell.

"Ah man, I-I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me, Rick." He murmured. Rick relaxed back into his seat with a shudder, ignoring the sensation and looking up at Morty with flushed cheeks and the beginnings of a bruise reddening one cheekbone even more. Rick's eyes were wet and fever-bright, and his hair was a tangled mess.

"It's okay M-morty, I deserved it. I wouldn't have done this now if I'd known w-what- what was going to happen. This was the kind of adventure I should've done alone." Rick hated to see Morty so upset. Every time he destroyed another little piece of the kid's innocence he.. but he never stopped. It was never enough to make him just leave Morty safe at home.

Morty felt sick seeing the old man so disheveled and looking weak below him, a shining bruise already forming on Rick's cheek like a glowing reminder of his own poor hormone-addled temper. But even after everything he couldn't keep the feeling of softness from creeping into him and he reached out to brush his fingers against the skin and push away a strand of wild hair.

"If you came alone-- you said I saved your life." He reminded Rick gently. Rick leaned into the touch on his cheek with another shudder. Morty's hand was so warm, and it felt so good against his skin. The pressure reverberated through his body, driving him to distraction again. Morty was right though, without him Rick would certainly have been dead or in prison.

"Yeah.." Rick sighed the word, and then jerked back nervously. "I mean, y-y-y-you shouldn't touch me right now." Startled, Morty pulled his had away quickly.

"Oh, yeah, right, sorry." He let himself fall back into his own seat and he stared up out of the domed glass at the very very slowly passing stars and planets, trying to collect all his swirling thoughts, exasperation, desperation, and lingering anger. They sat in silence.

Every second that ticked by felt like ages to Rick. He could hear Morty breathing, feel the air displacement against his skin with each exhale from all the way across the ship. The steady pressure of the seat against him was so overwhelmingly good, he wanted to feel that pressure all over himself so badly. He closed his eyes to keep them off of Morty and marshalled his tattered control. _Morty is right, what the fuck is wrong with you? Get a hold of yourself._

"I'm sorry you had to see that." Rick's raspy voice was loud in the awkward silence. Morty tipped his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes.

"You didn't look so sorry, w-w-when you looked at me.", he mumbled. Rick couldn't help but arch his head back a little, biting his lip to keep himself quiet as he remembered that moment. _Sick fuck._ It shouldn't be so hard to keep his thoughts off of his grandson. And the way Morty was reacting was just proof that he'd been right to put a stop to things in the first place. It was taking so long to do the right thing that he had such a hard time with.

"I-" Rick paused unhappily. _Just lie._ "I was getting jerked around by that fucking plant, it's not my fault I looked at you for like half a god damned second. A-and at least I closed my eyes, if you hated it so much why didn't you?" The familiar sick ache of rage gripped Morty’s stomach as he faced the man again but it slipped away abruptly at the sight of his cheek.

"Whatever, Rick." He finally murmured. He knew that his grandpa's accusation wasn't fair, but his mind couldn't focus through the pubescent mood-swings long enough to gather his thoughts properly and _even if I could focus right now it's not like I could ever outwit him. He's a genius._ The teen studied the awkward angle that Rick's body jutted away from the seat and admired the look of his bony fingers that clung to the upholstery. This man, his grandfather... He was so smart and so experienced. _He could have anyone he pleased--beautiful space girls, whole planets of people, and weirdass alien nightmare flowers even... but I'm where he draws the line,_ he reminded himself _._ Finally he spoke again-- "I don't know." He let himself admit.

Rick gritted his teeth at Morty's despondent response, feeling oh so guilty for putting him in this position. And he was still so turned on and distracted, it felt like he was clinging to a cliff face, with an ocean of pleasure and oblivion just lapping at his heels. But he'd hurt Morty enough already with this botched adventure. He had to keep himself under control, he couldn't give in. _But why not? You're not doing him any good as is. It would feel so good to just rub his hands up his arms, get these sticky, damp overalls off and just rub his own-- No._ Rick forced that line of thought away with a groan. He needed to focus on Morty, everything was too raw right now between them, too delicate. If he screwed things up too much Morty might finally go through with his constant threats and cut Rick out of his life, and he couldn't bear that. But how the fuck could he fix this when he could barely keep himself from rubbing up against everything and anything in the ship, with Morty at the very top of that list? Morty rolled his eyes and tried to not watch as Rick panted and groaned quietly in the seat next to him.

"Can you maybe tone it down a little there?" He said, with his discomfort heavy in his voice. Today was the most emotionally exhausting day of his life. He felt so dragged around-- with yesterday's rejection heavy on his mind Rick had started the day by being an ass about the mark he had left on his neck, then sketchy about whether he wanted Morty to even come with him, then suddenly he was forced to watch his grandfather fuck some extraterrestrial daisy or some shit, before making a getaway and potentially murdering people? The boy felt queasy at the last thought. They had gone on some pretty fucked up adventures but this one really seemed to take the cake. _Now on top of everything, Rick is acting so fucking weird. I'm not even sorry I hit him,_ he decided, lying to himself and shifting uncomfortably away from the man in his seat.

"How much longer d-do we have to go so slow?" Morty asked curtly. Rick felt his self control start to fray, finally, as Morty snapped at him again. He snarled out a response, a better alternative than anything else running through his frantic thoughts.

"C-c-can you have a little fucking sympathy here? I g-get that you had to see it M-m-morty but I had to do it, a-and I'm not exactly enjoying this, it isn't fucking over for me yet. I'm trying my god damned best to ignore this and you just keep riding my ass. I d-didn't want this to happen okay? I just wanted to-" Rick's words broke off into a panting whine as his heavier breathing distracted him. He had to force himself to calm down and breathe slowly for a few seconds before continuing with a soft, almost-whisper. "I just wanted to do something with you, prove we still could a-a-after.." Rick trailed off and closed his eyes, knocking his head back into the headrest with a thunk.

"Sympathy for what, Rick? I have no idea what the hell you're talking about.." _like always_ he quietly berated himself. "A-a-all you've said to me right now is that I've been useless and that I haven't 'proven' something to you, so-- so excuse me if I don't exactly have 'sympathy' okay? You're a real-- a real piece of work, you know, Rick?" He went off on the man, turning back to him and jabbing his shoulder with his finger. "And-- and another thing!" The boy was ready to keep laying into him, but he paused to make sure Rick was going to listen to him.  As soon as Morty paused in his tirade Rick started back up, twisting in his seat to look at him as he ranted back.

"Wh-what, you want me to tell you you're amazing again? You left that out of 'all I've said to you'. B-but you don't need me to say that to punch me again Morty, just fucking do it, it'll feel amazing too I'm sure, like every-fucking-thing else right now, whether I want it to or not. D-don't fucking touch me i-i-if you want me to 'tone it down' y-you little shit."

"Are you f-f-fucking kidding me, Rick?" The teen was fuming and at this point stubbornly refused to back down despite Rick's rude warnings which he didn't fully understand anyways, jabbing his finger harder into the man’s chest and climbing his way back over the center console. "Killing those people might be a-a-a walk in the park for you, b-but I at least have some humanity in me, you-- you heartless dick." He let the insult loose, astounded that Rick would think for half a second that those half-assed praises would make up for the horror he felt about the whole situation. For a moment his adoration for the man twisted into a profound feeling of betrayal. "You want to fight me, well fucking fight me, old man." He punctuated the challenge with another rough shove, pushing Rick against the driver’s side door of the ship. Rick reached out and twisted his fist into Morty's shirt, yanking him in close and off the centre console, snarling into his face.

"Fucking bring it M-m-morty." _I made you lose another piece of yourself and it kills me, so fucking hurt me for it._ "I should've done it, not y-you, i-if you weren't here I could deal with these drugs fucking me up right now instead of tying myself in knots trying to keep m-myself from even thinking of you. I wish I had gone without you, I'd rather be fighting my way out of a Fed holding cell right now, at least I might get fucked that way." Rick shook Morty back and forth with every sentence, inordinately focused on how bright his eyes were, how flushed his cheeks were with his furious anger. Morty was barely listening at this point, but he couldn't help but be taken aback by how emotionally transparent Rick had been about things for that split second of expressed regret and candid desire. Still, the unfairness of it all stung him with rage and he could feel the venomous anguish course through his veins and stain his already-strong emotions for Rick.

"Y-y-you'll be fucked alright." The shaking and scrambled teen snapped back as he tore away from the man to elbow Rick sharply in the side, initiating a rough grapple in the front seat. Rick flinched away hard from Morty's elbow, and pushed his hand into the kids face, arching him backwards a little.

"I said bring it y-y-you little bitch." Rick responded, despite having every disadvantage in this struggle. 

Being pushed back Morty brought his knee up to Rick's chin, cracking into his teeth and splitting his lip before scrambling out from under the hand over his face. Each touch was driving Rick absolutely wild; the rougher the better. He couldn't remember when he'd last been this turned on. It would have had to be when he was on something-- this kind of sensation was wildly unnatural. Plus he wasn't angry with Morty at all, not the way Morty was with him. He'd pushed the poor guy way too far today. Rick deserved this; he wanted it, in so many ways. Morty furiously shoving and kicking at him in the front seat made Rick so hot, and soothed the aching guilt eating him up inside almost enough to take the edge off how sick he was to be getting off on this. Almost, but not quite. There was a voice in the back oh his head screaming for him to stop, but Rick was so worn down, and almost delirious with the rush of endorphins and too-good sensation flooding through him. "Mmmorty.. fuck.."

Finally Morty was able to pin him back against the door with a lunge and a shaky yell.

"Screw you Rick!" The teens brow was drenched in sweat and he was biting back his temper as best as he could but Rick's whimper of his name snapped him back from being swept up in the fury of the scuffle. Rick was panting hard and gnawing on his split lip roughly to keep the sharp zing of bright pain going. His lips had been absolutely drenched in the stamen's secretions, and he didn't care at all how much damage he did to himself, he just needed something, anything- he needed to feel. He struggled in Morty's hold more for the sensation of his small, surprisingly strong hands tightening on his arms than anything. Morty was trying to catch his breath looking down at Rick's bruised face, freshly split lip, and wild hair splayed out against the metal door like a blue splatter mark behind him. He had Rick trembling and pinned but he had never won a fight before.... _what... do I do now?_

But when Morty stilled above him Rick snarled wordlessly and struggled in earnest, yanking one arm free and pulling Morty closer by his shirt front again.

"Come on M-morty, fucking.. hurt me. Fuck y-you you lying little shit. Come on." Rick's lips brushed against Morty's with that last, begging goad, and Rick let out a high pitched little whine at the sensation, his head slamming back into the door of the ship loudly as he arched involuntarily under Morty.

"W-w-woa UH.." Morty withdrew his body away from the man as far as he could despite Rick's hold on his shirt, blood from Rick's lip now smeared against his own-- that tickling presence being the only thing that made that split second feel real.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "M-Morty... is this okay?"  
> Whatever impression of being in control the boy had gotten before was swiftly knocked out of him as his back hit the dashboard. Is this okay? probably not.  
> "Yeah" Morty gasped.


End file.
